Hon. Ubandoma Joshua laven, comm. For housing & urban Development
Following the genocide attacks on Bokkos, Barkin Ladi and Mangu local government that led not fewer than 200 dead,the commissioner for housing and urban development honorable Ubandoma Joshua laven has joined numerous population of Nigeria to advocate for State Police.
As he said this will help to put a stop or reduced to the bearest minimum the constant attacks on communities in the state with collosal lost of human and materials on every attacks living the people to lick their wounds of pains and sorrow.
Hon. Ubandoma was speaking during the event tagged” Plateau Youth G17 Peace and Progressive Forum and Candle Light to mark the death of fallen heroes recently killed during genocidal attacks on some communities in the state held at the state Secretariat junction on the 7th January 2024 .
Ubandoma who was the former Chairman of Lantang North local government called on plateau youth, that it’s high time they stop crying, but challenged them to raise up and take their destiny on their hand and stop waiting federal government for defense.
He called for proactiveness of the citizen of state to end the unwarranted killings of the people in the Communities that has lost their citizens to callous and heinous genocidal attacks of Fulani’s militias.
Ubandoma called on president Bola Ahmed Tinubu led administration to realize that the time to allowed states to have their police is now because the killing of helpless citizens of plateau state extract and other parts of the country is clear prove that the federal security is over whelmed, better still over stretched.
He stressed that a man from another state cannot understand the terraines of plateau more than the citizens of plateau themselves who even at the odd hours can transverse the terrains of their areas which another person who does not know the place well enough cannot do.
President Tinubu should understand that the people of plateau state are not cowards, they can defend themselves if given the the opportunity to do so, and reiterated the Federal needs to look into the needs to allow individual States to own their police as the attacks on the communities in plateau state ,and the live lose at each attacks is disturbing.
Appealed to Federal government that it’s time they allow our local vigilantee in the state , to take over the security of their local citizens who are much conversant with the terrains instead of federal security that are not conversant with the local terrains.
Called on the plateau citizens that the time to defend themselves is now instead of crying while those who perpertrate the callous, heinous and babarrick art are celebrating, and those killed are gone forever.
He further stressed that these militias don’t have human feelings when they strike, they don’t mine whether you are young, old even the foetus in the stomach of a the mother.
“What offence has 3 years old child committed that he was shot at close rage by those heartless militias” ,he questioned.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang of plateau state has debunked the rumors circulating on the social media that the state government has declared Monday and Tuesday 8th and 9th January 2024 respectively public holiday.
As the author of the said public holiday did not originate from the government non persons close , is the handwork of mischief makers.
The denouncement of the purported statement is contained in a press statement dated 7th January 2024 signed by the Director of press and Public Affairs to the state government and made available to our medium.
He urgued General Public to ignore the false press release as Governor, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has NOT declared Monday and Tuesday, 8th and 9th January, 2024, as public holidays, contrary to what some unscrupulous elements are spreading online.
The public is advised to ignore the false rumours and remain steadfast in prayers for God’s divine intervention in the challenges facing the state.
The Government remains committed to partnering with law-abiding citizens for the advancement of development in the state.
Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang has declared Monday the 8th and Tuesday the 9th of January 2024 as work free days in the state.
The Governor declaration is contained in a Press statement dated 7th January 2024 signed by the Director of Press and Public Affairs to the governor Gyang Bere and made available to this medium in Jos.
Governor Mutfwang said the aim is to enable the good people of Plateau State join the mourning match on Monday in honour of victims of the heinous attacks in Bokkos, Barkin Ladi and Mangu LGAs. While Tuesday the 9th is declared as public holiday to enable Plateau sons and daughters engage in solemn prayer for the soul of Plateau as Supreme Court begins hearing.
The Governor encourages all citizens to fully participate and use the period for sober reflection while assuring his unwavering commitment to continue to provide quality leadership at this trying times.
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has expressed his condolences to the government and people of Plateau State over the killings of innocent persons in communities in Bokkos, Mangu and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas on Christmas Eve.
Rt. Hon. Dogara made his feelings known on Saturday during a solidarity visit to the Executive Governor of Plateau State, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, at his residence in Jos. He described Plateau people as peaceful, accommodating and hospitable, who do not deserve the dehumanizing and unholy acts inflicted on them.
He called for a holistic approach by all citizens across all faiths to halt banditry, terrorism and criminal activities in all parts of the country.
“The perpetrators of this violent act are not just crazy but they are dangerous. The truth is that they will not stop until we stop them and the Commander in Chief has the responsibility of stopping them. We must use the cohesive apparatus that we have to locate these people and their sponsors, scattered in the ungoverned spaces that we have in Nigeria, whether on the Plateau, Nasarawa, Southern Kaduna, Zamfara, the North East or the South.
“Wherever these people are, they must be located. After locating them, the Commander in Chief will have to either take justice to them or bring them to justice. Failure to bring them to justice has always been the bane of the fight against terrorism.”
He said it is time for the nation to rise collectively and stop the bloodshed, warning that if the perpetrators go scot-free in Plateau, such gruesome acts can also take place in any part of the country.
Governor Mutfwang thanked him for the visit and said the true narrative of the killings in Plateau is not farmer-herder clashes but banditry and terrorism, which must be addressed in that context holistically.
He praised the willingness and the desire of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to end the carnage and said the President has shown the political will in tackling the issues.
“With all boldness, I want to say that I see a desire for a shift with the current President. I see a desire to change the narrative, a desire to rewrite the story and get things right. I have interacted with him a couple of times and I see him carrying a burden to see how this issue will end.”
Governor Mutfwang reiterated the commitment of his administration to work collaboratively with the Federal Government to bring to an end the carnage and decades of attacks that have claimed several lives in Plateau State.
He also commiserated with the former Speaker on the demise of his mother, and prayed God to grant him the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
Contrary to the insinuations that the Incessant genocide attacks in plateau State and it environ is attributed to criminality, was disputed by another school of thought who is of the opinion that the attacks is geared towards land grabbing with desperate fight to dominate the economic space of the people of plateau and displaced them from their original ancestral homes.
As security expert myself, I refused to subscribed to the insinuations of some school of thought that the incessant genocide attacks on the people of plateau are Criminal in nature.
Hon. Gideon Dangdreng who is the Chairman Jos South local government Area of plateau state, made the startling revelation 5th January 2024 in a interview with Journalists at his residence in Jos, plateau state capital.
Gideon said I want to divert from the issue of criminality as insinuated by many that those behind the incessant genocide attacks on plateau communities were those criminal elements,he said when you talk of criminality, you talk of Armed Robber and Kidnappings, i want to say without fear or favour that this is not criminality, that those behind these constants attacks on plateau citizens ,have interior motive of land grabbing, and to take over the control of their economy, particularly mining which is associated with the people of plateau after displacing them from their various ancestral home land.
Gideon further explained that the indigenous people of plateau State are technically send away from their ancestral homes and taken over by Fulani’s jihadist , and disagreed that it’s acts of criminality, said is a deliberate intention to forcefully acquire their ancestral land for economic purposes.
He reiterated that the act is a ground plans by Non State Actors and been sponsored by a high profile Nigerians , you can quote me anywhere because there is underground agenda to take away the land from the people of plateau state to advance both of that economic and jihadist agenda
Ambassador Gideon further stressed that mining activities in the state , by extension Nigeria at large has been hijacked by foreigners which is a clear indications that the Middle Belt region is technically under threats of economic and religious attacked.
The chairman further add that there are a lot of discoveries recently about Middle Belt concerning mineral resources in this part of the country, is one of the tools they are trying to push the people away from their ancestral home and take over their land to take control over the mining activities undisturbed.
On what he is doing in collaboration with the political positions persons in the state to tackle the problems head on, he said Nigeria is a nation with multi -tribal and ethnic diversity, unlike United States of America, which is made up by the coming together of different people from different state that form the country.
Hon. Gideon lamented that in Nigeria, this will say I am Tarok and so and so tribe but they forget that without nation, there is no tribes.
And warned that until we continue to see ourselves as one irrespective of religions ,tribes and ethics difference and what happened to Tarok man should be seen as happening to Edo, we are not moving forward.
“Unless we are patriotic , and call a spade a spade not other way round, we are not moving forward as a nation.”
” We most understand that we are people of Nigeria and agreed in that perspective, even people talking about zoning, it will not bring credibility.”
The Chairman of Jos South who is among those challenging their unlawful desolution of the Chairmen in the 17 local government of the state as democratically elected chairmen of their respective local government when their tenure is still running, said he is confident of the judiciary because is the palace of justice and hope of common man, harps that were there is no justice it means we are not moving forward as a nation.
Add that having put all these into consideration, a lot of Nigeria are disenchanted with judicial system in the country, regarding the judgement delivered ,but we still have to call a spade a spade.
However called for the adherence to the letter of the Nigeria Constitution.
Maintained that despite the short coming, he still believe and have hope in the Nigeria judicial system. He maintained.
……. The Real Subsidies Are Not For The Poor, But The Rich
By, Femi Falana, SAN
Globally, subsidies, whether for food, transportation, energy or housing, are part of good governance. So, the issue is not subsidies but who benefit from them. In Nigeria, subsidies are primarily of the rich, by the rich and for the rich. I will highlight a few, how they are being manipulated and how huge sums of money can be recovered not just to subsidize fuel but also provide funds for development.
1. *Diversion of N40 billion from Federation Account*
A company, Continental Transfert Technique had been hired by the Ministry of Interior to collect the Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Alien Card (CERPAC) Fee of $2,000 per annum from every expatriate in Nigeria. The revenue from 2019 comes to an average of N40 billion per annum. This collection which violates Section 162 of the Constitution and provisions of the Immigration Act 2015, is then shared on percentages of Federal Government, 30, Interior Ministry, 7, Immigration Service, and Continental Transfert Technique, 58 per-cent.
We challenged this illegality at the Federal High Court and won the cases. The court directed the NIS to collect the funds henceforth and remit same to the Federation Account. But the contractor and the federal government appealed against the judgment and have continued to share the N40 billion per annum.
2. *Additional Revenue of $1.5 billion payable to Federation Account*
In July 2015, I drew the attention of the Federal Government to the fact that the 15-year fiscal incentives given to the oil and gas companies operating under the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts Act had expired in June 2014. When the Federal Government ignored our request, we drafted a Bill for the amendment of the law. The Bill which was adopted and sponsored by Senator T. Orji scaled the first reading in the Senate but was not passed before the dissolution of the 8th National Assembly.
However, the same Bill was modified and passed by both houses of the 9th National Assembly and assented to by President Buhari on November 4, 2019. In justifying the passage of this Bill, Senate President Ahmed Lawan announced that the new law would increase the revenue of the nation by not less than $1.5 billion per annum.
3. *Outstanding royalties of $62 billion*
In campaigning for the amendment of the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts Act, I requested the Federal Government to collect outstanding royalties payable by the International Oil Companies under the Act. The Federal Government admitted that the country had lost a whopping sum of $60 billion. But my demand for the collection of the huge fund was ignored.
The governments of Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa States then approached the Supreme Court which on October 20, 2018 ordered the Federal Government to collect the royalties for the past 18 years. The Federal Government confirmed that the outstanding royalty withheld by the IOCs is $62 billion but has refused to collect it.
4. *FG denied revenue of $500 million by a group of corrupt public officers*
The international Cargo Tracking Note Scheme to protect international shipping and prevent the movement of dangerous cargo and arms shipments was introduced into Nigeria in 2010 via an agreement between the Nigerian Port Authority and TPMS, a private company. Barely a year later, the agreement was suspended. When our attention was drawn to the illegal suspension of the Cargo Tracking Note system, we protested and the suspension was lifted on May 28, 2015 only to be suspended again in 2016.
In 2022, President Buhari issued an executive order which authorized a company to operate the Cargo Tracking Note. But 5 companies sponsored by top government functionaries overruled the President and hijacked the contract. The company that won the contract has since sued the federal government at the Federal High Court. Meanwhile, Nigeria has lost at least $500 million while the security of the nation has been compromised by a bunch of corrupt public officers.
5. *Sale of public assets and enterprises*
Successive regimes have been selling assets and enterprises owned by the Federal Government to members of the ruling class in the name of privatisation. The buyers turned round to engage in asset stripping. According to the Bureau of Public Enterprises, between 2004 and 2002, the federal government sold 142 public enterprises to members of the ruling class.
The 10 per cent shares reserved for the staff of every privatised enterprise have been cornered by the so called “core investors” contrary to the provision of section 5(3) òf the Privatization and Commercialization Act.
6. *$7 billion fixed in 14 banks*
Sometime in 2006, the CBN yanked off $7 billion from the nation’s foreign reserves and fixed it in 14 commercial banks in Nigeria. The deposit and the accrued interests were not recovered from the banks. When I reported the matter to one one of the anti-graft agencies, the CBN claimed that it had forgiven “the forbearance”.
7. *Sale of Heritage Bank, Keystone Bank, Union Bank and Polaris Bank by CBN*
The CBN took over Heritage Bank, Keystone Bank, Union Bank and Polaris Bank, spent trillions of Naira to revitalise them only to turn round to sell them under the table. For instance, CBN invested N1.3 trillion in Polaris Bank but sold it for N50 billion!
8. *Theft of Crude oil*
The Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has revealed that Nigeria lost 619.7 million barrels of crude oil valued at N16.25 trillion ($46.16 billion) to crude oil theft between 2009 and 2020. Immediate past National Security Adviser, General Babagana said that Nigeria might lose $23 billion in 2023 to crude oil theft.
9. *Theft of gold and other solid minerals*
The theft of the nation’s mineral resources is not limited to crude as solid minerals are equally smuggled out of the country by highly placed criminal elements. Former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uche Ogah recently disclosed that private jets are being used by the rich for gold smuggling in Nigeria. He stated this at an investigative hearing on $9 billion annual loss to illegal mining and smuggling of gold organised by the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, Mines, Steel Development and Metallurgy. During his contribution at the hearing, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu disclosed that Nigeria lost close to $54b from 2012-2018 due to illegal smuggling of gold.
10. *AMCON is owed N5.4 trillion by the rich*
A few years ago, commercial banks were going to collapse due to toxic loans taken by members of the ruling class. To prevent the impending economic doom, the Federal Government set up the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to buy off the loans with trillions of Naira provided by the CBN. AMCON has not been able to recover the loans of N5.4 trillion from about 370 corporate bodies.
11. *Indiscriminate import duty waivers*
A few privileged members of the business community buy dollars at official rate while they are allowed to import all manners of goods into the country. In the last 5 years, import duties worth N16 trillion were waived for them.
12. *Effort to track and monitor tankers conveying fuel sabotage by NNPC*
On August 8, 2018, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the installation of technology monitoring schemes and structures under the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF) for N17 billion. The technology which was designed to track and monitor tankers conveying fuel and other petroleum products was not acquired while the N17 billion approved for it was diverted.
13. *N10 trillion diverted by CEOs of Government enterprises*
The Buhari government revealed on December 19, 2018 that government enterprises including the CBN owed about N10 trillion in unremitted operating surplus as at August 2018. The details were provided. The said sum of N10 trillion remains unpaid.
14. *N6 trillion unpaid ground rents by buyers of Government properties*
On March 29, 2023, the Senate noted that since 1992, over two million houses across the 36 states and the FCT had been built and allocated to beneficiaries by the federal government without evidence of payment of ground rent on the properties. Consequently, the Senate set up an Ad Hoc Committee to recover over N6 trillion unpaid ground rents from property owners in the country.
15. *Stolen crude oil valued at $29.17 billion*
A group of lawyers engaged by NIMASA confirmed that 60.2 million barrels of crude oil valued at $12.7 billion of crude oil was stolen and illegally exported to the United States of America between January 2011 and 2014. This has not been recovered. Also, the House of Representatives investigated and confirmed that undeclared crude oil worth $17 billion was exported to global destinations during the same period. The affected companies are known but government seems to lack the will to bring them to book and recover the sum of $29.7 billion being the value of the stolen crude.
16. *Oil theft of N16.25 trillion*
The Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) revealed that between 2009 and 2020 Nigeria lost 619.7 million barrels of crude oil valued at N16.25 trillion ($46.16 billion) to oil theft. The security forces have not been able to stop the stealing and smuggling of crude oil from Nigeria.
However, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd (TSSNL), a private company discovered pipelines through which crude oil was being diverted from a 40,000 barrel per day Forcados pipeline to the high seas for export. The indicted oil companies including an IOC involved in this grand theft are yet to be prosecuted.
17. *Deduction of collection costs by FIRS & NCS*
The Federal Inland Revenue Service and Nigeria Customs Service are allowed by their enabling laws to deduct percentages of the taxes and duties collected by them as collection costs. Thus, the FIRS between 2016 and 2020 made N533.39 billion deductions while Nigeria Customs Service withdrew N128.64 billion as cost of collection in 2022.
The laws which allow agencies of the Federal Government to deduct collection costs are contrary and inconsistent with section 162 of the Constitution which provides that all revenues collected by the Government of the Federation shall be paid into the Federation Account.
18. *Diversion of $6.065 billion approved for turn-around maintenance of refineries*
Between 1993 and 2016, successive regimes spent, through the NNPC, about $6.065 billon on the so-called turn around maintenance and rehabilitation of the four refineries at various times.
It is public knowledge that the turn-around maintenance of the refineries was not carried out. Therefore, the contractors should be invited by the EFCC and compelled to refund the said sum of $6.025 billion.
19. *Investment in Dangote refinery and rehabilitation of 4 refineries*
The Federal Government has invested $2.7 billion in Dangote Refinery while the NNPCL will supply the refinery with 300,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Furthermore, the Government has awarded the contracts for the rehabilitation of the two refineries in Port Harcourt for $1.5 billion, as well as Kaduna and Warri refineries for $1.4 billion.
We are compelled to call on the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress to monitor the ongoing rehabilitation and upgrade of the 4 refineries.
20. *Special salaries for top public officers, security votes, and pension for governors*
Top public officers have illegally taken themselves out of the general salary structure. For instance, contrary to section 70 of the Constitution which provides that the salaries and allowances of legislators shall be fixed by the Revenue Allocation Mobilization and Fiscal Commission the members of the National Assembly are paid emoluments ranging from N13 million to N15 million per month.
In addition to their salaries the 36 State Governors are paid security votes running into hundreds of millions per month. The largesse has since been extended to all senior public officers, including heads of ministries, departments, and agencies of the federal and state governments, as well as local government chairmen. The security votes paid to senior public officers are about N241 billion per annum.
As if such subsidy is not enough, state governors have been placed on scandalous pension of billions of Naira. But due to public criticisms, the Lagos State Government has halved the pension for ex-governors while the Governments of Kwara, Imo, and Zamfara States have abolished the payment of the outrageous pension to former governors and deputies. We call on all other state governments to emulate the example of the aforementioned 3 state governments.
21. *Diversion of dividend and feed gas of $33 billion by NNPCL*
Nigeria LNG Limited is jointly owned by Nigeria and the OICs. The 49% shares of Nigeria in the joint venture were paid for from the Federation Account in 1989. On March 29, 2021, former President Buhari disclosed that the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) had generated $114 billion in revenues, paid $9 billion in taxes, $18 billion as dividend and $15 billion in Feed Gas Purchase to the Federal Government. However, rather than pay the fund into the federation account as constitutionally directed, the $33.9 billion dividend and feed gas was diverted by the NNPCL.
22. *Diversion of trillions of Naira through fuel subsidy fund*
Notwithstanding the allocation of 445,000 barrels of crude oil to NNPC per day for domestic consumption, it has been confirmed that the figures for fuel importation in Nigeria between 1999 and 2023 are as follows:
1. 1999-2006 =N813 billion;
2. 2007-2009= N794 billion;
3. 2010-2014= N3.9 trillion;
4. 2015-2023= N11 trillion.
Last week, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Mele Kyari stunned the nation when he said that the federal government still owes the company N2.8 trillion in fuel subsidy payments. But the monumental fraud that has characterized the fuel subsidy scam has been confirmed by the Buhari regime.
Thus, on March 27, 2022, former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Timipre Sylva publicly lamented the controversies surrounding the amount of petrol that the nation consumes daily, said the subsidy regime encouraged criminal activities like smuggling, which in turn impact negatively on the nation’s oil resources. He said that, “I am told the figure sometimes rise to as high as 90 or over 100 million litres. I don’t know how that happens. At this rate, I have said if anyone is looking at a criminal enterprise, look no further than the fuel subsidy.” The criminal enterprise ought to be probed by the Bola Tinubu administration.
*Conclusion*
It is crystal clear form the foregoing that members of the ruling class are heavily subsidized by the peripheral capitalist system while the masses are subjected to excruciating economic pains. We are therefore compelled to call on the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress as well as the progressive extraction of the civil society to mount pressure on the federal government to stop the dollarisation of the national economy, indiscriminate grant of duty waivers, theft of crude oil, gold, and other mineral resources and recover the nation’s looted wealth. In other words, these ‘subsidies’ should be recovered while the nation’s refineries are fixed so that the country can provide genuine subsidies that can make life livable in Nigeria.
The Executive Governor of Plateau State, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has sent his heartfelt condolences to the Ngas Nation over the passing of the District Head of Amper, in Kanke Local Government Area, Nde Ngolong Emmanuel Koprit Jatau.
The Governor’s condolence message is contained in a press statement dated 5th December 2023 signed by the Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Governor Gyang Bere and made available to this medium in jos.
In his condolence message, Governor Mutfwang said he was deeply saddened by the loss of the traditional ruler, who died after a long illness, leaving a huge gap in the community.
Governor Mutfwang remembers Nde Jatau not only as a wise and dignified leader, but also as a tireless advocate for his people.
His commitment to resolving disputes through dialogue and his unwavering dedication to cultural preservation resonated throughout the district. His quiet but firm leadership brought a sense of unity and stability to Amper during challenging times.
On behalf of himself, his family, the government and the people of Plateau State, Governor Mutfwang extends deepest sympathies to the peace-loving people of Amper, the Pankshin/Kanke Local Government Joint Traditional Council, and the entire Ngas Nation.
He urged the family to find solace in the knowledge that Nde Jatau’s legacy of peace and service will continue to inspire future generations.
The Governor encouraged the family to find comfort in God and the legacy that their late father left behind, and prayed for his soul to rest in peace.
1. It is my privilege to address you on this long-awaited occasion of the coronation and presentation of the staff of office to the new Ngolong Ngas, His Royal Highness Nde Jika Golit, on First Class status.
2. This occasion is unique and very dear to my administration, as we all know the traditional institution is vital to the preservation of our cultural heritage and the promotion of our co-existence as a people who share a common identity. We value the continuous maintenance of the norms, traditions, and practices that serve the greater interest of the people.
3. You are all aware that almost a decade ago, God the creator in His divine way called home the late Ngolong Ngas, Nde Joshua Dimlong of blessed memory, to eternal glory to join his ancestors. This loss created a vacuum and by the special grace of God, a successor who will take over from where he stopped emerged in a peaceful process. Today, by the grace of God, he will be crowned and presented with the staff of office to continue the good works of his predecessor. Therefore, I crave your indulgence to observe one minute of silence in honor of the late monarch…May his soul rest in peace with the Lord, amen.
4. I therefore wish to congratulate the Ngolong Ngas, Nde Jika Golit, on his ascension to the throne of his ancestors. His selection by the kingmakers, through a peaceful and rancor-free atmosphere, is worthy of emulation by other ethnic groups in the state.
5. Let me say at this point that it has become very expedient for us to hold this remarkable occasion at this crucial period of our collective existence. As you are aware that a week of mourning was declared in honor of our beloved people who were gruesomely murdered during the cruel Christmas Eve attacks and the days that followed, in Bokkos, Mangu, and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas.
Therefore, this occasion is low key and won’t involve the usual processions, glamour and celebrations, as it should be the case, in observance of the week of mourning. May their souls rest in peace and may the Lord comfort us, most especially those directly affected.
6. Like I said in my New Year broadcast, the unprovoked attacks were premeditated and coordinated, considering the simultaneous nature of the attacks in several villages at the same time. They are purely, acts of criminality, insurgency and terrorism and must not be seen as Fermer – Herder clash which is the traditional narrative. As a government, we will not rest on our oars but will continually collaborate with the Federal Government until the perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to justice. We shall prevail and Plateau will come out stronger and put these forces of darkness to shame.
7. The traditional institutions have a critical role to play in strengthening inter and intra community relations which is essential for the protection of our communities against invaders. It is against this background that my administration places high premium on traditional institutions in the state because of the enormous role they play in safeguarding their domain as well as the promotion of peace, stability, and harmonious co-existence among the people.
8. We are determined to give the traditional institutions their pride of place. Our solemn commitment as a government is to continually strive towards filling all vacant traditional stools in the state in line with my promise and respect for the traditional institutions.
9. I am pleased to inform this respected gathering that the royalty of the Ngas Chiefdom and the Pankshin/Kanke Traditional Council has made us proud by showing a high level of decorum and good conduct during the period of transition and up to this moment that God Almighty has blessed the land with another leader to fill in the vacuum created by the demise of the late Ngolong Ngas. This action is indeed worthy of commendation and should be emulated by all communities in the state.
10. Let me warn mischief makers against needless court actions aimed at delaying or frustrating the selection and or installation of traditional rulers. We must learn to accept the will of God. I want to place on record the tireless efforts of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs in carrying out extensive consultation with a wide range of stakeholders before the selection process of the Ngolong Ngas commenced and concluded.
11. In furtherance of the commitment of my administration to run a transparent and inclusive government, we urge all communities, villages, and chiefdoms to embrace dialogue as the only means of resolving any differences on matters that relate to the traditional stools, in order to foster peace and harmonious co-existence.
12. As a government, we are determined to resolve all lingering litigations that have brought setbacks to some communities. This will enable us fill the vacant stools that are left in some parts of the state. Our desire is to move along with all communities in providing tangible development that will improve the living conditions of our people, especially in the rural areas.
13. I must say that today’s coronation of the new Ngolong Ngas is the first traditional function that I have performed since you entrusted me with your mandate to lead you. I urge other communities who are delaying the process of selecting their traditional rulers to resolve their differences and come in one accord to forge a common interest.
14. Your Royal Highness, I am convinced that your ascension to the throne of your ancestors at this crucial period is the will of God and I have no doubt that you will bring your wealth of experience to bear. While you discharge your duty, I admonish you to be proactive, carry your people along in every decision.
15. I strongly charge you to work day and night in the interest of your people to preserve the sanctity of the revered stool which you are occupying in trust for your people. I have no iota of doubt, that you will not jeopardise the confidence the people have in you.
16. As I conclude this speech, I charge all Plateau people not to allow our ethnic, political, and religious differences to divide us. Like I have often remarked; our strength is in our unity and ‘’ there is no force no matter how formidable a united people cannot overcome’’.
17. Let me use this medium again to thank the people of Plateau State for observing this week of mourning and to particularly thank the Muslim and Christian Clergy who are organizing their followers to pray for the intervention of God Almighty in our State. I urge us to continue in prayers. God will give us victory.
18. Once again, I congratulate His Royal Highness for ascending the throne of his ancestors; and may his reign bring good tidings to the land. I equally congratulate the sons and daughters of the Ngas Nation, both at home and in the diaspora, for this remarkable achievement. I urge you all to accord the new Ngolong Ngas the required support as he discharges this royal mandate for the benefit of the land and the interest of the state.
There has been circulation of untrue information about the status of PDP in Plateau State.
HERE IS THE TRUTH!
Is it true that the PDP in Plateau State has had leadership tussle? Yes!
Following the painful loss of the 2019 Governorship Elections, many party faithfuls were displeased with the leadership of the then Chairman, Hon. Damishi Sango and pressurized him to resign.
After much resistance, Mr. Sango resigned and a Caretaker Committee headed by the then Organising Secretary, Hon. Gwot Chocho was appointed to run the affairs of the PDP.
That PDP validly held its repeat congress on the 25th of September, 2021 and the said Congress was monitored by INEC which report was tendered in evidence.
Before the election of August 9, 2020, a party Chairmanship Aspirant, one Bitrus Kaze went to Court to challenge the Chocho led Caretaker Committee.
On November 26, 2020, Justice Gang ruled in favor of Hon. Bitrus Kaze and ordered that the Chocho led Caretaker Committee be dissolved to pave way for a fresh congress.
Due to a lot of Court cases arising from the 1st congress, the stakeholders of the party on their own agreed to dissolve the Chris Hassan led EXCO elected from the 1st Congress and appointed a Caretaker Committee led by Senator Tunde Ogbeha which conducted a Fresh State Party Congress on September 25, 2021, in which Hon. Chris Hassan re-elected as Chairman.
Was this repeat Congress duly monitored by INEC? Yes!
And INEC submitted its report titled ‘’Comprehensive Report of Repeated Congress of the Peoples Democratic Party’’ dated 25th September, 2021.
Did Bitrus Kaze who challenged the Chocho led Caretaker Committee participate in the Repeat Congress?Yes, he did.
He polled 186 votes as against Hon. Chris Hassan’s 1,526 votes. Hon. Bitrus Kaze congratulated Hon. Chriss Hassan and was also at the Swearing in of the EXCO together with his supporters like Lt. Gen. J.T. Useni and Hon. Damishi Sango.
Has there been any Court Case against this Repeat Congress of September 25, 2021?Yes.
In the case of Augustine Timkuk Vs PDP, the APC masterminded this suit in order to nullify all PDP primaries in Plateau State. The Federal High Court in Jos dismissed the suit and the Court of Appeal Jos Division affirmed the judgement.
What important findings did the Federal High Court make in Augustine Timkuk’s Case?
That PDP complied with every existing Court Order regarding its State EXCO and therefore was not in disobedience with any Court Order. That PDP validly elected a new State EXCO in accordance with its constitution and therefore had the right structure required of a party in place.
Did all the 17 Local Governments participate in the Repeat Congress?Yes.
The 17 Local Government Areas in Plateau State and all Ward EXCOs and ad hoc delegates totalling 1,600 persons participated in the repeat congress. Only the Exco members of 5 Local Governments Areas, totalling about 85 were excluded for various local reasons.
Where did the repeat congress take place?
The repeat congress of the PDP took place at Langfield event centre, Rayfield in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Did the JUDGMENT of the Plateau State High Court by Justice SP Gang affect the concluded congresses at the Ward, Local Government or Zonal levels?
No! The judgment of the Plateau State High Court in suit no. PLD/J304/2020 only affected the eligibility of the Chocho led Caretaker Committee to participate in the 1st Congress which in any case was eventually cancelled by mutual consent of PDP stakeholders to pave way for the repeat Congress of September 25, 2021, because Bitrus Kaze who was not an EXCO member of the party at any level wrote to PLASIEC (Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission) and demanded the exclusion of PDP.
9. Does PDP have any judgment(s) that confirmed the repeat congress after September 25, 2021? Yes!
There two judgments that validated and confirmed the repeated congress of the PDP. The Judgments are both by the Federal High Court Jos Division and Court of Appeal Jos Division. The particulars of the judgments are:
SUIT NO: FHC/J/CS/64/2022: BETWEEN: AUGUSTINE TIMKUK V. INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC) & 6 ORS (Federal High Court)
APPEAL NO: CA/J/300/2022: BETWEEN: AUGUSTINE TIMKUK V. INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC) & 6 ORS delivered on the 11th day of February, 2023 (This is the most recent judgment that confirmed the congress report of the PDP)
10. At the Tribunal what are some of the pieces of evidence that PDP tendered to show that PDP did not disobey any court order?
The PDP led evidence and tendered the following documents.
a) CERTIFIED TRUE COPIES COMPREHENSIVE REPORT OF INEC ON THE REPEATED CONGRESS DATED 25TH SEPTEMBER, 2021
b) SUIT NO: FHC/J/CS/64/2022: BETWEEN: AUGUSTINE TIMKUK V. INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC) & 6 ORS (Federal High Court)
c) APPEAL NO: CA/J/300/2022: BETWEEN: AUGUSTINE TIMKUK V. INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC) & 6 ORS delivered on the 11th day of February, 2023
d) VIDEO EVIDENCE OF BITRUS KAZE CONGRATULATING CHRIS HASSAN DURING THE REPEAT CONGRESS.
e) EVIDENCE THAT NO LGA WAS EXCLUDED DURING THE REPEATED CONGRESS
f) EVIDENCE OF COMPLIANCE THE JUDGMENT OF JUSTICE SP GANG
g) EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT PDP HAS A STRUCTURE IN PLACE IN PLATEAU STATE
h) EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT NO COURT OF LAW HAS NULLIFIED THE REPEATED CONGRESS.
11. Was PDP in existence in Plateau State as at the time of the conduct of the 2023 general elections?Yes.
The structure of the PDP in Plateau State came into existence since on the 25th September, 2021 when the repeated congress was held and no one challenged the congress let alone any court nullifying the repeated congress.
12. What is the position of the Nigerian Law on the Appropriate Court to determine the validity of Party Congress?
Being a pre-election matter, the jurisdiction for all pre-election matters rest with the Federal High Court.
13. What is the duty of an Election Tribunal and the Court of Appeal thereafter? The duty of the Tribunal and the Court of Appeal is centrally to determine who was validly elected and not to determine the validity of the congress of PDP because the challenge to the validity of the congress report can only be activated in a regular court and not at the Tribunal. Thereafter, the Court of Appeal can only decide if the Tribunal was right or wrong.
14. Were the candidates of the PDP nominated and sponsored by the State Chapter of the party?
By section 50 of the PDP constitution 2017 as amended, it is the duty of the National Executive Committee or National Working Committee of the PDP to nominate and sponsor candidates for all national elections and in the case of Plateau State, all the candidates were validly nominated and sponsored by the national leadership of the party.
15. Is the National Executive Committee of the PDP that nominated all the candidates of the PDP in Plateau State in disobedience of ANY alleged court order?
There was no evidence anywhere to show that PDP at the national level that sponsored and nominated PDP candidates in Plateau State is in any disobedience of any court order.
16. What was the basis of the judgment of the Court of Appeal against PDP?
The judgment of the Court of Appeal sacking Plateau State candidates of the PDP was on the basis of an alleged but unproved disobedience to court order. Evidence before the Court showed PDP had complied with every known Court Order.
17. Did the Court of Appeal make reference to the decisions of the Federal High Court and Court of Appeal which favoured the PDP? No!
The Court of Appeal refused to use the evidence of compliance with the judgment of the Plateau State High Court which were all tendered in evidence before the court and no objection was raised as to the admissibility of those documents.
18. Did PDP in Plateau State breach any law before the 2023 general election? No!
PDP in Plateau State did not contravene any known law before the conduct of the general elections and that is why the names of all the candidates of the PDP were accepted and published by INEC.
19. Did any member of the opposition party challenge the names of the PDP candidates after same were published by INEC? No!
20. Did any aspirant who participated in the primary election of the PDP challenge any of the candidates? No!
All the ASPIRANTS of the PDP in Plateau State at the primaries were all satisfied with the process.
21. Did the opposition tender any court judgment that nullified the repeat congress of the PDP at the trial? No!
Because there is no such judgment in existence anywhere in the world instead, they relied on judgments which the courts in those judgments only said PDP did not produce evidence to show that it had complied. However, in the present trial the evidence that was missing in the previous cases was before the court, yet the court refused to use and apply the evidence.
THE CASE OF MUTFWANG AGAINST NENTAWE AT THE SUPREME COURT
1. Dr. Nentawe Goshwe and APC challenged Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s victory at the Election Tribunal on the allegation that he was not qualified to contest the election because according to them, he was not validly nominated by the PDP since it had no ‘structure’.
2. Governor Caleb Mutfwang won at the Tribunal and the APC Petition was dismissed but the Court of Appeal set aside Gov. Caleb Mutfwang’s victory on the alleged ground that the Governor was not qualified to contest the election, having not validly sponsored by his party (PDP).
3. The Court of Appeal held that PDP had no structure in Plateau State and therefore lacked the competence to sponsor Governor Caleb Mutfwang. The Court also held that PDP was in breach of an Order of Court that directed it to conduct congress to elect its officers in the Wards, L.G. A.s and State in Plateau State, when in fact no order existed.
4. Governor Caleb Mutfwang now at the Supreme Court contends that the Order of Court was obeyed with the conduct of the Congress on September 21,2021 as found by the Tribunal; and even if the Order was not obeyed, the alleged disobedience does not form a ground for challenging his election. Reference on this is made to Section 134 of the Electoral Act 2023 which provides the grounds on which the Governor’s election can be challenged. None of the grounds includes disobedience of Court Order.
5. Further on the impossibility of challenging the Governor’s election based on the allegation of invalid nomination and sponsorship, the Governor refers to judgments of the Supreme Court which hold that a Petitioner, having admitted invalid nomination and sponsorship, invariably admits sponsorship.
6. On the allegation of lack of structure, the Supreme Court in the case of Oni v. Oyebanji (2023) 13 NWLR (Pt 1902) held that even if a Political Party has a
questionable leadership, its competence to nominate or sponsor a candidate cannot be questioned.
7. Governor Caleb Mutfwang is praying the Supreme Court to allow his appeal, set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal, affirm the judgment of the Tribunal and return him as the winner of the election as declared by INEC.
8. The Supreme Court has held in many cases that the issue of nomination and sponsorship of a candidate are internal party matters. In this case, Governor Caleb Mutfwang cannot be challenged by his opponent, as in the case of Nentawe and APC because it only concerns members of the same party with the Governor! Also, the issue of nomination and sponsorship of candidates are pre-election matters that can only be challenged in a regular Court before elections.
“Let me say this as clearly as I can: No matter how sharp a grievance or how deep a hurt, there is no justification for killing innocents.”
—-(Former US President, Bill
Clinton)
When on Christmas Eve 2023, marauders invaded communities in some parts of Bokkos and Barkin Ladi leaving in their trail scores of hapless citizens dead, injured and traumatized; the world was shocked at the level of devastation and mayhem visited once again on the accommodating people of Plateau State.
What is most worrisome was the impunity and precision that these merchants of death orchestrated and carried out their nefarious activities without any form of resistance from the various security architecture operating within the state.
Secondly, the world was taken aback more so because the attacks were unprovoked! They were purely act of terrorism visited on the people by suspected Fulani militia that have laid siege on the state and its communities for god knows how long now.
However, the prompt response by Governor Caleb Mutfwang to the renewed violence shows that the governor knows his onions.
Suspending any celebration that is usually associated with the yuletide festivities, Mutfwang swiftly mobilized his lieutenants to pay an on the spot assessment of the situation, as well as, to further strengthen the presence of government in preventing the deterioration of the carnage.
With the benefit of hindsight, this move by Mutfwang indicates a sharp departure from the past where it was alleged, and later substantiated, that an Executive Governor of the state was said to be asleep when some parts of the state were on fire.
Perhaps, Mutfwang’s government proactive move in halting any further breakdown of law and order in the affected communities and, preventing any spillover to other areas must had attracted the attention of the Federal Government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who also responded swiftly when he dispatched the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Danjuma and other service chiefs to Jos nay, the affected areas to assess the situation.
Indeed, the proactive steps linked to Governor Caleb Mutfwang aptly captures the aphorism:
“Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they did. “
As at last count, the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Egbetokun, the National Assembly and other relevant security and non-state actors have continued to troop into Plateau State to either express solidarity of the government and people of the state over the unfortunate incident or, pledged to join hands with the PDP led government in the state to find lasting solution to the disturbing and reoccurring unprovoked attacks on the people of the state.
At the risk of sounding political, this development especially the response of the federal government to provide succor to victims of the attacks and reinforcement of troops to comb the state of any criminal element extended to a state considered to be in the opposition party must be welcomed by all and sundry.
The state is no doubt enjoying this kind of collaboration from the center largely due to the charisma of the governor and his team who have left no one in doubt as to their desire to rewrite the story of Plateau State.
If the Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang’s Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP led government in Plateau could court and enjoy this kind of collaboration from the All Progressives Congress led government at the center, then it means that both President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Caleb Mutfwang understand deeply the tenets of democracy that puts the people first before any mundane consideration.
Both personalities, the Vice President, service chiefs and other political leaders from the state and other state must be commended for standing with Plateau State at its trying moment and, also reinforcing the maxim that: “An injury to one, is injury to all”! If for anything, Gov. Mutfwang must be given the needed support and cooperation by relevant authorities and all citizens in order to put an end to these senseless killings that seems to have defied all solutions.
It is sad and regrettable that even with the laudable feat that the Mutfwang’s administration has recorded in the last few months despite the many distractions from the courts and insecurity, these curious elements never miss any opportunity to exhibit their brazen ignorance on pages of the mass media. Such unrepentant APC paid propagandist must remember that, “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.” – Abraham Lincoln.
We urge Gov. Mutfwang not to be swayed by the rantings of these individuals or group whose interest is just the pecuniary gains they hope to make from their paymasters. Opposition against the PDP led government in the state should not be taken too far, for it not madness, or could it be resentment? Needless to mention that “Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.”
For any discerning mind, Mutfwang must be commended for breaking down the walls of party opposition in just few months by attracting the level of attention his government is getting in addressing the issues of insecurity and other socio-economic challenges that used to be the bane of development in the state.
For any right thinking member of the society, it is not difficult to discern that Plateau State, in the last eight years, did not enjoy the kind of collaboration it is currently enjoying from the federal government even when the state was not in opposition with the government at the center.
It is imperative, therefore, to make this clarion call to all opposing sides and hard line critics to join the present Government under the leadership of Barrister Caleb Mutfwang to rebuild our motherland by taking a cue with this anonymous writer “For, if liberty and equality, as some persons suppose, are chiefly to be found in a democracy, they will be attained when all persons alike share in the government to the utmost.”
_”The suggestion that I joined the APC is false and insulting. Those that are peddling this fake news should bury their heads in shame. With what we have witnessed I would rather die than join a filthy, rat-infested sinking ship..”_
“.. I am committed to opposing the APC and those that are in their ranks for the rest of my natural life and I will NEVER join them no matter what! They are nothing but darkness whilst I stand for the light of God and truth: there can be NO fellowship between light and darkness.”_
_
*Flash Back on Statements made through several tweets by Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani Kayode describing the All progressives Congress, APC as a party characterised by falsehood, insults, fake news and darkness being the hallmark of unhealthy propaganda.*_
The outright desperation of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Plateau State is assuming an alarming dimension lately.
It is commonplace and gradually becoming a daily routine to see the “Data Boys” of the propaganda machinery of the party churning out nauseating materials on the blue app in its desperate attempt to flog an already dead horse.
It is important to delve into what the term propaganda means: simply put, it is “disinformation, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view.”
For the All Progressives Congress Party, APC, the new media has become a market of some sort where lies, half-truths, unconfirmed reports are dished out by these “e-rats” even to the chagrin of right thinking members of the society who have come to discern the dummy APC sold to Nigerians since 2015 and are not willing to be taken for a ride once again.
What is more appalling is that the APC in Plateau State has successfully recruited some hitherto “reputable” members of the noble pen profession in the state to do its biddings?
Sadly, these supposed media professionals have conscientiously confined professionalism into the dustbin of mediocrity for pecuniary reasons.
The deceptive tactics employed by a certain Plateau APC’s spokesman and his co- travellers have crumbled.
Their false narrative misled judges and stakeholders nationwide, falsely claiming PDP lacked structures in Plateau, leading to the theft of the people’s mandate
Instead of presenting the facts of the legal tussle for the soul of Plateau State, the APC media mercenaries deliberately opted to use their news platforms to dish out sentimental reports for whatever gains.
To these personalities, their insatiable appetite for “stomach infrastructure” is at the center of their duty and responsibility to the citizenry.
One then wonders what happens to Nigerians should these kind of journalism by these so-called publishers or media practitioners is allowed to thrive?
What is the fate of democracy if a section of the fourth estate of the realm that should be expected to protect our democracy is allowed to use their news platforms and other such avenues as megaphones of disgruntled politicians of the APC in Plateau State?
What is more disturbing is that these media professionals have been so blinded by their quest for their daily crumbs that they have failed or, vehemently refused to acknowledge the physical transformation that the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP led government under Barrister Caleb Mutfwang has done in Plateau State in the last few months on the saddle of governance.
Instead of celebrating the massive road rehabilitation network within Jos and its metropolis, payment and clearing 4 month salary backlog left behind by the ousted APC government, amongst many other laudable policies and programmes in a little over seven months in office of Barr. Caleb Mutfwang as other reputable media outlets are doing (something the immediate past APC administration could not achieve in eight years); these negligible few media “entrepreneurs” have elected to sink with mediocre in APC.
Instead of engaging in development journalism by investigating and publishing the painstaking efforts of the PDP government in daring to correct the many ills that the APC left in the corridors of power and the civil service, they are busy celebrating their paymasters who have done nothing but further impoverished majority of Plateau citizens whose survival index fell short of their counterparts from other states owing to the lack of vision and direction of the immediate past APC administration.
In just seven months on the saddle, the Barr. Mutfwang led forward-looking and purposeful government has touched virtually all sectors of the state economy with visible impact in both tangible and intangible results that is being felt by the people of the state irrespective of any mundane consideration.
It should be noted that the propaganda machinery of the ousted APC in Plateau State has already failed woefully as evident in the outcome of Gubernatorial elections held on 18 March, 2023.
For the few political contractors hiding under the umbrella of media platforms as well as stomach infrastructure data boys, the rhetorical question is: Who needs to remind the ill fated APC in Plateau State and the immediate last administration that the dreaded People’s Democratic Party, PDP legitimately floored a failed party that held sway for over 8 years at the last polls in Plateau State?
Inspite the unfortunate incoherent and confusing decisions of the Court of Appeal which sat over litigations arising from the last elections in Plateau State, the overwhelming victory of the PDP in the last general elections where the people voted massively for candidates of the PDP from the state to the national assembly remains a point of reference to historians and political pundits on the gallant loss of a clueless political party and a few political opportunist who plundered the resources meant for over 5 million people.
Members of the All Progressives Congress are angry, bitter and crying wolf for many reasons including the pain of losing the opportunity to continue looting the collective wealth of Plateau citizens who they impoverished and are more than ever determined to employ all available tactics including unhealthy propaganda to regain power through crude, illicit means- especially back door tactics.
However, such attempts are ill-fated and will NOT see light of day at Supreme Court as the apex body will not be hoodwinked by antics of disgruntled elements who have nothing to loose.
It is widely believed previously decided cases at the Supreme Court of Nigeria will put detractors to shame and vindicate all people of goodwill in Plateau who voted en-mass for Governor Caleb Mutfwang and Ngo Josephine Piyo to pilot of the state for the next four years and probably run for reelection in 2027.
Similarly, whatever is the tactics or old fashioned propaganda machinery of the All Progressives Congress, in Plateau State the rejected party should be told that Governor Mutfwang’s appeal at the Supreme Court holds the truth, both in court and public domain. And Justice for the masses will prevail
Interestingly, contrary to the outright falsehood circulated in the social media by disgruntled APC lap dogs on the vexed question of qualification to participate in the last elections, there are landmark cases to be relied upon as the fireworks take center stage at the Supreme Court as revelations show PDP adhered to the State High Court order, validated by the Federal High Court in Augustine Timkuk’s suit and upheld by the Appeal Court. The APC’s resort to self-help and baseless propaganda reflects their desperation.
Indeed, it is crystal clear that the peaceful and hospitable people of the state have seen through the lies APC represents and have decided to join Barrister Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang in the quest to chart a new course for Plateau and its unborn generation regardless of the outcome of the lopsided election litigations as it concerns the state. Plateau people know better NOW!!!
…..The Unpatriotic,Unsolicited And Fading Drumbeats Of Shittu Bamaiyi.
By,Makji Godfrey Dajwal
At the inception of The Time Is Now administration, the barrage of quasi journalism contents which had spuriously been tagged “press release”, and had mostly emanated from the APC on the Plateau had triggered a most accurate conclusion from one of their then ardent supporters.
“we are now back to the seasons of press releases”, he openly exclaimed! And he was right in this regard as we well can evidently see how that over a seven month period, the accumulated numbers of these “press releases”, which had been authored by the opposition APC and its cohorts, (were it not for the advent of social media and other digital technologies), would have formed more than a year’s supply of paper to be used by the Mai Suya at the Atiku Street junction, Rayfield for his tasty suya wraps or perhaps by twenty of the likes of Maman Mario’s akara spot in Tudun Wada. These “press releases” which have majorly served to sell underhanded information to the unsuspecting public or to further political innuendos for the attainment of inglorious ends within our polity are subsequently a major avenue for the dissemination of fake news and specially packaged propaganda aimed at confusing the public.
And whereas we have the top brass of APC’s Media machinery; the Sylvanus Namangs, the Dan Manjangs, the Yakubu Dattis, their “Profs”, and their regular or irregular writers, no other than Shittu Bamaiyi has stood out to be what Americans refer to as the “poster boy” for their 2023 cryptic media affairs.
Because Shittu Bamaiyi, who will share his vituperative utterances and subliminal agenda by day, quickly assumes the posture of an entirely different persona at night and in their secret social media platforms and/or other avenues. For it was this same Shittu Bamaiyi who prior to any major political events, whether it was the election, tribunal or others alike, led our unsuspecting Plateau sons and daughters away from the ‘One and Collective Plateau’ messages we hitherto knew, and towards the tipping point of disunity, mutual distrust and antagonisms for one another. In Plateau State, where everyone is known by anyone, Shittu Bamaiyi has thrown caution to the wind and embraced the wrong spirit, helping to pitch one against another, a form of politics or journalism hitherto unknown to our common practices. Shittu Bamaiyi is the 2023 election cycle’s “strange spirit” that the APC has employed. And this is no political assertion only. His stances are to state the least, very regrettable.
Shittu Bamaiyi has just recently (1st January, 2024) had a poor stint at responding to the Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang’s traditional (and first) New Year’s Day State broadcast and used the same avenue to churn out what in his own mindset represents the events of the state of Plateau. And being that he well is within his rights to comment on issues as he pleases, he well should understand how that others also freely share their own rights to rejoinders and further comments, without fear or favour.
In this his latest “press release” he hid under the normal cloak of the right to analyze the businesses of government and public services to erroneously conclude that Governor Mutfwang made political capital out of what he had achieved as Governor of Plateau State. And if indeed that unfounded allegation is to be taken as true, that someone who works and then displays his achievements as a mark of that success, (especially since that person has earlier on campaigned and won elections on the basis of these superior performance traits), then how bad is that at all?
But for Governor Mutfwang who was simply reporting to the state, (jointly comprised of both non party and/or party affiliated citizens), about what he inherited as at May 29th 2023 and the present state of affairs wherein his government, and under his able leadership, has now cleared the backlog/arrears of salaries, and also on the other efforts to fully offset pensions and gratuity of workers (which has already begun), this news became an awry thing to say by Governor Mutfwang, that is, according to Shittu Bamaiyi. So, perhaps, it is okay with Shittu Bamaiyi if the Governor either added extra or more months of unpaid salaries to what he met on ground. That would quite definitely be a good picture for Shittu Bamaiyi, going by his disapproval of the announcement of the Governor. Or perhaps, these achievements, among the other very notable and laudable projects already embarked upon by the people’s Governor within the shortest timeframe stand as ghost images that haunt him, his benefactors and followers at night. And if that be so, we the others, who see nothing wrong in the development of Plateau State and the positive transformation of our land including our peoples, we say a big SORRY to Shittu and his band of bad bellé agents.
Sorry that all these bad feelings distort your thoughts and judgement, but we the majority of the people love all the good things Governor Caleb Mutfwang is bringing to the table.
Sorry that trains are now no more a theory for especially our younger population who have never had even the basic opportunities to take a single ride on trains, which situation has now suddenly changed within four to six months, courtesy of the purposeful leadership Plateau State now enjoys.
Sorry Shittu, that our parents and people are all gearing up towards receiving their gratuities which had before now been abandoned and served as conduit pipes for corruption in our ministries, departments and agencies until Governor Mutfwang came on board.
Sorry that we now have a Government which does not pretend or make political pronouncement over the lives and well-being of it’s people. A Government with it’s Governor, who swing to action to get tangible Presidential directives and physically available security support in Mangu, Barkin-Ladi, Bokkos, Riyom and all other areas of heighten insecurity, in a bid to safeguard his people who put him and them in power in the first instance. It is worth noting here that even APC stakeholders have adjudge (as put out in the open) Governor Mutfwang’s swift and practical response to security crises situations as very commendable. Now, these are patriotic statements, putting common interests far and about personal or individual ones. Sorry Shittu.
Sorry that fertilizer bags are now flying and will continue to fly into our farms this January. This event is now dragging the hearts of APC and other party faithful back towards one united Plateau, instead of the divisions that Shittu’s ilk have sold us.
Sorry Sir, for the mere fact that if Governor Mutfwang continues this way, persons who have nothing positively tangible to offer will be forced out of their not so productive trades and Plateau will rise again – a New Plateau… The bride of Nigeria! Sorry Sir.
But criticisms of governmental achievements are not all about the “Shittu epistle”.
The UNPATRIOTIC PART of the writing, which reveals nothing new about the one among many mouthpieces of the polls-rejected APC, is where Mr. Shittu Bamaiyi alluded to our collective security challenges as merely the failure of Governor Mutfwang (in his opinion) without paying any forms of respect, decorum or the normally desired somberness whatsoever, to the lives of our brothers and sisters who have actually passed away from this side of the world, never to here be seen again. For Mr. Bamaiyi, the earliest declaration of the official mourning period would have been better than the various tangible efforts now put in place to get top echelon of communal, political and security figures to attend to the dire needs of the directly affected persons and/or the affected communities. And whereas three former Governors in person or delegated, and in different ways and manners put aside their personal or political affiliations to stand in solidarity with the Government of the State and its people, Shittu Bamaiyi will have us see that such efforts are perhaps wasted, even when a Leader of his own party was among these gathering of positive solidarity.
This posture is akin to standing with our assailants because of politics or stomach infrastructure, and this stance, no matter who exhibits the traits, is condemnable by all moral or societal standards.
And just as some people have opined, it seems like Shittu Bamaiyi and the people he speaks for either know something or are so happy with the recent attacks on Plateau people simply because Governor Mutfwang is in charge. Or, one may be led by his writing to suspect that they either sponsored or aided the attacks just so as to use it to score cheap political goals against the Governor of the State. Such a shame.
Because since Shittu and his co travelers on this lane have not been so given towards the issuing of statements in condemnation of these gruesome attacks, killing and maiming, and since they were so obviously missing when good spirited people came together alongside the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to go down to Bokkos and commiserate with the victims, then why should he still think that Plateau people are eager to hear or read his words, which immediately come off as written from the comforts of their political caverns? And why would same persons who thus absconded when they were needed the most even dare to take stances as to attempt to speak more appropriately (in their misguided mind frame), for and on behalf of the good people of Plateau State?
And how is it even possible that Bamaiyi and the people whom he writes for, assume to speak on security when they neither won elections, nor have they done anything first to show sympathy to the victims of that gruesome attack? Their election losses are a signpost of the state’s general lack of trust in their agenda (to all rational and democratic minds).
Time will soon come in our maturing democracy that the people openly refuse any anti-people stances as obtained in other climes of the globe, whether masked in the coloration or nomenclatures of “press releases” or not.
For the moment however, Mr. Shittu Bamaiyi should learn decorum and civility in societal engagements. Not everything can be political, and definitely not the lives, collective patrimony or heritage of our dear Plateau State and its amazing peoples.
As we are still within the days of mourning for our beloved and departed brethren, may the souls of all our brothers and sisters rest in peace and may all those who stand against the collective Plateau spirit not prosper in their motives and enterprises. Amen.
### End ###
Makji Dajwal writes from Jos, Nigeria and can be reached via mdajwal@yahoo.com
The Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC),in plateau state Hon. Abubakar Dogara has said the riff occasioned by the emergence of Yusuf Dan talle as the New National Chairman of IPAC following the expiration of the tenure of the leadership of former National Chairman, Alh . Sani Yabagi will soon be amicably resolve.
Dogara said it will be laughable to see that IPAC set-up as Advisory Council saddled with the mandate to check -mate the activities of Political parties, to ensured they delivered good governance to the electorates that voted them into offices will be involve in leadership feud itself ,so members has taken urgent steps to nip it on board to avoid being escalated.
The Chairman of IPAC in plateau State ,Hon Abubakar Dogara who doubled as the Chairman of Social Democratic Party (SDP), in the state give the assurance in an interview with Journalists at his office along Murtala Mohammed Way 3rd January 2024.
He said the court injunction which had hitherto restrained IPAC to inaugurate the newly elected National Executives of the will soon be a thing of the past ,as the body is currently working toward peaceful settlement for meaningful progress of democracy in the country.
The Chairman further disclosed the willingness of the New National Chairman Yusuf Dan Talle to provide the desired leadership that would accommodate all the political parties and to ensure parties adhered to their various political manifestos and guidelines during electioneering campaigns.
Hon.Dogara adviced aggrieved persons who lost during the just conducted National election of IPAC, to sheath their political sword of bitterness and anger and join hands because in every elections there most be a winner and loser so, Hon.Yusuf Dan-Tale has emerged IPAC National Chairman without dispute on the exercise and should be supported.
He called on the outgoing National Chairman Alh. Sani Yabagi to accept defeat and join forces with the New Leadership of Hon. Yusuf Dan-Talle to move the body forward because the election that produced Yusuf, was transparent and credible devoid of rigging and manipulations. The electoral committee that announced Dantalle as the winner of the election was constituted by Sani Yabagi himself.
Urged the New leadership to extend hands of fellowship to the aggrieved contestants for the IPAC to fulfill it mandate of watch dog over the political Parties in the country.
Dogara further revealed that the New Yusuf led leadership has come up with strategy to take the monitoring of all the political parties down to the grass root across the six geopolitical zones of the country, which the last administration of Alh sani could not do throughout his tenure as the National Chairman of IPAC.
The Dantalle led leadership has promised to run an open-door policy where everyone can also contribute in the developmental programs he planned to execute within the first six months of his tenure. Which includes review of the code of conduct of IPAC which has not been available to members for some time now.
Another unique leadership strategy of Yusuf is to introduce women and youth directorate. Monitoring and evaluation committee to complement government efforts in ensuring that public funds being expended on projects are judiciously used.
Dogara Challenged political parties to follow their various manifestos religiously as it’s enshrined in their respective party guidelines to avoid unnecessary court disputes after elections.
He concluded that IPAC Local government elections may be the first assignment of Dantalle administration.
Operation SAFE HAVEN (OPSH) wishes to categorically dismiss and denounce as false and misleading the recent publication on Daybreak Media, an online news platform, authored by Gabriel Achudu, alleging the arrest of the Commander of Sector 5 located in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State for his alleged involvement in the recent attacks on communities in Bokkos, Barikin Ladi, and Mangu Local Government Areas.
The report is not only baseless but is also a deliberate attempt to malign the reputation of our gallant troops and undermine the efforts of Operation SAFE HAVEN, intended to bring those responsible for the reprehensible acts to justice.
This is contained in a press statement dated 3rd January 2024 signed by the Media Information Officer Operation SAFE HAVEN Captain Oya James and made available to this medium in Jos.
Operation SAFE HAVEN, a multi-agency security initiative, has been steadfastly addressing the recurring security challenges on the Plateau and its environs. The dedication and commitment of our troops remain unwavering in ensuring the safety and security of the affected communities.
The OPSH urges the public, individuals, groups, and all stakeholders to support our troops by providing actionable information that will aid in the ongoing efforts to restore peace and security to the region. We urge the public to disregard the misleading and false information being circulated, as it is designed to serve the selfish interests of its purveyors.
We call on all citizens to desist from spreading inaccurate and misleading stories, particularly those that concern our national security. National security is a collective responsibility, and the efforts of all well-meaning citizens are crucial in enhancing our nation’s security.
Operation SAFE HAVEN remains resolute in its commitment to upholding the peace and security of our nation and will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that justice is served and tranquility is restored in the affected communities.
The umbrella association of private employment agencies in Nigeria, the Employers Association for Private Employment Agencies of Nigeria (EAPEAN) has assured Nigerians of decent jobs in the outsourcing sector in the country noting that issues of casualization shall be confronted frontally in the new year.
The President of the employers association, Dr. Olufemi Ogunlowo in the New Year message said that the transformed association is poised to lead the campaign for a decent job in the country with its new status as the duly registered umbrella body for outsourcing companies in the country.
Ogunlowo added that there would be an improvement in the membership services thereby leading to improvement in client and labour relationships.
Ogunlowo said:
“2023 was a challenging year for businesses in the country and the sector had its fair share of the economic downturn.
“It has been globally established that outsourcing is the future of work, hence, the need to collaborate with various stakeholders to strengthen the sector.
“Given our new status, we will work with relevant regulatory bodies, employer bodies, and labour unions and ensure that only decent jobs are created in our industry and weed out the quacks.
Ogunlowo said that 2023 witnessed a lot of improvement in the association which led to its registration as a trade association under the Trade Unions Act. “We will build on these achievements in 2024 to ensure that the best services are provided for our clients and workers.”
The President urged the Federal government to create a conducive environment for businesses in the country.
He assured the government that EAPEAN members would continue to support the government in its effort to create employment opportunities and decent for Nigerians.
The Employers Association for Private Employment Agencies of Nigeria (EAPEAN) formerly known as the Human Capital Providers Association of Nigeria (HuCaPAN) is the umbrella organization of licensed recruiters in Nigeria, also known as Private Employment Agencies (PEAs). It was midwive by the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, with international guidelines from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in 2007, and registered as a Trade association in 2023.
EAPEAN provides a platform for Private Employment Agencies to interact with the regulatory body (government), labour communities, and other relevant institutions within and outside Nigeria to develop and promote International Labour Organisation (ILO) standards and ethical practices in recruitment, deployment, and Management of Manpower in Nigeria.
Site Title gnewsreporters 